Grizzly watching, and a whole lot more, in the Great Bear Rainforest

Floating in our 16-foot Zodiac we are all mesmerized by the reflections in the perfect calm of the tidal channel... beauty found in such simplicity... patterns where the forest meets the water... a mother merganser and babies dwarfed by sedge grass… and the thunder of a nearby waterfall as it tumbles out of the rainforest. As we peer into the shade of the forest floor we often feel like eyes are watching us but on this morning we see those exquisite eyes staring back at us.

Photo courtesy Trish Boyum

As the Zodiac comes to rest in the sedge grass across the channel from her, this grizzly lazily gets up and changes positions still bewitching us with her eyes. Finally, she rises, stretches and makes her way down the bank to the grassy estuary, followed by her yearling cub.

Photo courtesy Trish Boyum

How can anyone ever completely explain what you feel when a mother grizzly sits on the grass in front of you and closes her eyes while her cub noisily nurses just feet away? Or how it makes you giggle when the cub sits like a human being in the grass, paws folded neatly on his tummy?

The gifts of these images from this inlet in the Great Bear Rainforest play in our head all winter long, inspiring us to help look after these soul-stirring places on our coast.

Photo courtesy Trish Boyum

When we are sitting in the office of our local M.L.A., explaining why the trophy hunting of our wildlife cannot be allowed to continue, we can still feel the mother grizzly's gaze from her moss-covered pillow in the Great Bear Rainforest.

Join us aboard our 54-foot motor yacht in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest on the central coast of B.C., and discover your own inspiration.

On our five to 10-day trips you will enjoy some the world’s most awe-inspiring wildlife viewing and whale watching. You will be introduced to unique aboriginal cultures, including the the Heiltsuk of Bella Bella, the Haida of Haida Gwaii, the Kitasoo/Xai'xais of Klemtu and the Gitga’at of Hartley Bay.

To ensure our guests the most intimate experiences, Ocean Adventures offers trips with not more than five to six guests. Our small group sizes mean we are making the least possible impact on the lands we visit, the wildlife we view, and the First Nations People who inspire us, something that is extremely important to us.

All of our trips are led by fully qualified and experienced guides.

Photo courtesy Trish Boyum

Whether you are watching the tenderness of a grizzly mum with her cubs or enjoying the breathtaking scenery with a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, or you are listening to the serenade by the local wolves, these life-changing moments will remain with you long after you go home.

To learn more about the best time of year to see grizzly bears, black bears, the Spirit Bear, whales, wolves, birds or to travel to Haida Gwaii, you can visit our website: www.oceanadventures.bc.ca

If you would like to learn more about Ocean Adventures or how we can all help end trophy hunting, you can contact us by email: [email protected]

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” —Gandhi